Daddy's Christmas Angel

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Soul Survivor Book Review - A Child Remembers Past Life as a Pilot



For all my life, books about reincarnation have intrigued me. My mother was shocked by the interest of her young child in the subject. My grandmother was not. A couple of months ago,  my daughter Allison noticed Soul Survivor on the Amazon page with my reincarnation novel, Hearts Across Forever, listed as bought along with it. She ordered a copy for me.

Because Bruce Leininger, like my mother, was not a believer in reincarnation, I found this story compelling. Imagine a two-year-old, just learning to talk, with screaming nightmares saying, "Plane on fire! Little man can't get out!" James' mother was terrified for her child, yet captivated as she discovered more unusual things her child "knew" that he couldn't know. His parents were surprised by James' fascination with World War II aircraft, especially the Corsair.

Using the Internet, Bruce started investigating the word James mentioned, Natoma, and eventually found a World War II aircraft carrier by that name. When he discovered a group of World War II veterans from the ship who held annual reunions, Bruce wound up attending some of them under the guise that he was writing a book about the Natoma Bay. In his at first skeptical investigations, he discovered many things that James actually knew including the name of the pilot whose life James remembers that was killed at Chichi-Jima.

There are photographs of drawings James created of airplane battles as a three-year-old that he signed "James 3." Bruce tracked down the family of James Huston, Jr., the pilot who died the day he was expected to return home, including his sister Anne who was still alive. What little James remembered and told Anne amazed her--things no one else could possibly know.

I've read about cases suggestive of reincarnation before, but these children lived in India and other countries in that part of the world where the belief is prevalent. This is the first book I've encountered in the United States about a case of a child recalling a past life.

If you've ever wondered about the possibility of reincarnation, you'll want to read this book. I would love to see the ABC Primetime show that aired in April 2004. Perhaps the TV show will run a repeat or even follow up on what James is doing now.

6 comments:

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

I'm sure this is a must have. I love things like this.
Can't imagine how missed that Hearts was a reincarnation novel. Two new books on my list -- good thing reading is more than a hobby with me.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Monti .. I feel like you do - I want to know more .. occasionally these stories pop up - but this particularly one is vivid .. One day I'd like to read them ..thanks for the post and note about the books .. Hilary

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Thanks, Giggles, for your comment. I love reincarnation stories, both real and fictional.

Hilary, Soul Survivor is a amazing story. Young children seem to remember things they will forget later. I hope you'll read this one. It's astounding because of the documentation.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Monti .. I hope so too .. I'm overloaded with books just now - let alone my own, and my mother's I brought up after we sold her flat ..

It's not about a 4 year old is it? I think I read about a child who could 'see' ..

Cheers Hilary

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Hilary, this child started having nightmares before he was two so doesn't sound like the same one. This book has been out about a year.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Monti .. can't quite remember the story .. but I'm sure I'll end up reading both sometime .. cheers and enjoy the weekend .. Hilary